After a sleepless night plagued by dreams of hangings and murders, Festus found himself up before dawn tending to Hanks horse's.

Their gentle demeanor was a welcome change for his troubled mind. The last two days had taken their toll on the hill man's spirt. He didn't relish killing like some men did. In fact, when it came right down to it, he had only been forced to kill in self defense of either himself or to protect those around him. Still, it didn't make it any easier but like he told Sheriff Bassett, it was either him or Gruber.

Returning to camp, he stirred up the fire and set a pot of coffee over the hottest coals for brewing. He daydreamed as the fire grew hotter and a fish jumping from the river to catch a wayward bug suddenly caught his attention and he smiled.

Intending to get some fishing done is what had gotten him into that mess in Pierceville in the first place but no one could blame him for that. The lure of catching the next big one was just to great to pass up.

Standing up from his position by the fire, he moved quietly to his saddle bags so as not to disturb his two sleeping friends, and reached inside for a lure and some fishing line.

Newly awoke a short time later to the smells of freshly brewed coffee and...frying fish?

Opening his eyes, it took him a moment to completely register where it was he was at. Sitting up on his bedroll, he smiled as Festus hummed quietly to himself while flipping a fresh trout in a frying pan over the camp fire.

"Morning," Newly said helping himself to a cup of the hill man's strong coffee.

"Morning," Festus replied moving the pan away from the flame.

"Trout for breakfast?"

"Yep," Festus replied waving a hand over three impressive looking pieces of fish.

"Can't say it's my favorite thing to eat for breakfast," Newly added with a smile.

"Fresh trout from the river is good any time of the day," Festus said with a grin. "Specially, breakfast!"

(Dodge)

Doc stepped out onto the boardwalk in front of Delmonico's and squinted as the midday sun shown brightly over head.

"Is the Marshal back yet?" Hank asked hurrying down the boardwalk toward him.

"No, what's wrong?" Doc said after seeing the agitated state the stable owner was in.

"I went to the telegraph office and checked for a wire about the horse's," Hank stated.

"And," Doc promptly asked. "What about it?"

"I got a wire saying they picked them up," Hank replied. "But the Marshal got another one about a murder in Pierceville!"

"Murder?" Doc said brushing his mustache worriedly.

Both men looked up in surprise when they heard the hoof beats of multiple horse's.

"Bout time," Hank said as Doc rushed toward the Long Branch.

"They're back!" he said opening the doors of the Saloon and making eye contact with Kitty.

Kitty nodded and followed Doc out the doors of the Long Branch just as Matt stopped in front of the saloon and climbed down from his horse.

"Festus," Kitty said rushing past Matt to embrace the hill man. "We were so worried," she said indicating Doc beside her.

"Well, she was! I wasn't," Doc said harshly while tugging nervously at his ear. "What happened anyway?"

"What didn't happen?" Festus said waving his arm. "First, I got mistook fer a bank robber, throw'd in jail and when I couldn't tell em where the money was, them fellers tried to lynch me cause I had ta kill one of em."

"Lynch you," Kitty said aghast as she turned to look at Matt.

"Newly and I got there just in time," Matt said tipping his hat up as Festus nodded.

"They had the noose already around ma neck," he said sparing Doc and Kitty the worst of the details as Hank moved in closer.

"Well, I'm sorry you had all that trouble, Festus," Hank said truly concerned. "But I'm glad you got the horse's.

"Aw foot," Festus said handing the stable owner the reins. "I'd a do it again."

"Just without the trouble, right?"

Festus nodded as Hank remember the telegram for the Marshal. "This here came for you, Marshal. It's from Pierceville," he said producing a paper from his pocket.

Matt meet Festus eyes as he took the wire and opened it to read.

"What is it, Matthew," Festus asked as Matt clinched his jaw.

"Seems Shad over took deputy Bates and escaped," Matt replied folding up the wire. "Sheriff Bassett is dead and his wife's been hurt but she was able to identify the attacker."

"Let me guess," Newly said as Matt nodded.

"We've got to head back there," Matt replied chagrined as Festus started for Ruth.

"Now, just a minute," Doc said angrily looking at Matt. "Festus has been though enough!"

"Doc," Matt said with a slight grin. "I was just about to tell Festus to keep an eye on things here while Newly and I go see about Pierceville."

"Oh, well," Doc replied sheepishly as Festus opened his mouth to protest but Matt held up his hand to silence the hill man.

"No arguments," Matt said mounting his horse. "Doc's right!"

Festus shook his head as Matt and Newly spurred their horse's into a fast gallop out of town.

"You look like you could use a drink," Kitty said brushing the dust off Festus vest.

"Sure could, Miz Kitty," he said meeting her eyes as Doc narrowed his.

"Afterward, you're going to come with me up to my office so I can take a look at you," Doc said swiping his mustache.

"Why," Festus groused. "I ain't hurt!"

"Don't look that way to me," Doc said noticing the dark bruises dotting the hill man's face and neck from his tussle with Gruber.

"Tain't nothing a good stiff drink and a good nights rest can't cure," Festus said letting Kitty lead him into the Long Branch.